What to expect from emerging markets

The last decade yielded mixed results for investors in emerging markets. Cris Sholto Heaton looks at what investors can expect in the years ahead.

The last decade has been a mixed blessing for investors in emerging markets. Taken over the whole ten years, to June 2014, emerging markets have comfortably beaten developed markets: the MSCI Emerging Markets index had an annualised total return including reinvested dividends of 12.3%, in US dollar terms, compared with 7.84% for the MSCI World index of developed markets.

But gains in the second half of that period were very disappointing compared to what had gone before. During the last five years, annualised returns of 9.58% for emerging markets lagged a long way behind the 15.62% managed by developed economies. So which half of the decade was normal and what can we expect for emerging markets in the future?

Subscribe to MoneyWeek

Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE

Get 6 issues free
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/mw70aro6gl1676370748.jpg

Sign up to Money Morning

Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter

Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter

Sign up
Cris Sholto Heaton

Cris Sholto Heaton is an investment analyst and writer who has been contributing to MoneyWeek since 2006 and was managing editor of the magazine between 2016 and 2018. He is especially interested in international investing, believing many investors still focus too much on their home markets and that it pays to take advantage of all the opportunities the world offers. He often writes about Asian equities, international income and global asset allocation.

Cris began his career in financial services consultancy at PwC and Lane Clark & Peacock, before an abrupt change of direction into oil, gas and energy at Petroleum Economist and Platts and subsequently into investment research and writing. In addition to his articles for MoneyWeek, he also works with a number of asset managers, consultancies and financial information providers.

He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and the Investment Management Certificate, as well as degrees in finance and mathematics. He has also studied acting, film-making and photography, and strongly suspects that an awareness of what makes a compelling story is just as important for understanding markets as any amount of qualifications.